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10 Top Tips For Market Research Fieldwork In Asia

From all the international projects we have carried out at B2B International, we know that knowledge of cultural and regional differences; especially in Asia, are crucial in any market research project running smoothly from beginning to end. If you are considering carrying out research in Asia then the following ten tips will hopefully help you along the way.

Interviewing During The Day: Apart from in China, you will find that most respondents from countries in Asia are unable to commit to interviews during the day, due to work commitments

Telephone Interviews: Business telephone interviews are usually kept to within 20 minutes to prevent respondent fatigue and to avoid a high drop-out rate.

Size Of Living Area: In Japan, living areas tend to be much smaller than those in western countries such as the US. As a result, client observations teams should be kept to three (including the translator).

Online Surveys: Overall, response to online surveys in Asia tends to yield much lower response rates that in the US and Europe (with the exception of Japan and Korea). Most respondents, especially business respondents, tend to be less responsive to online surveys.

Internet Infrastructure: The internet structure in certain countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines tends to be weaker than other Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Singapore.

Cost of Living: Doing research in Japan, Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong tends to be more expensive than other Asian countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines due to the higher cost of living.

Travelling: Travelling in Japan can be extortionate – a taxi ride from the Airport into the centre can cost as much as £200! Therefore, the subway is still the most convenient and cost effective way of travelling within the city.

Focus Groups: Due to the long working hours and travelling time in countries such as Japan and Korea – it is typical for only one focus group to be held in an evening.

Courtesy Biasness: Being such polite people in general, the respondents in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines tend to exhibit courtesy biasness over their other Asian counterparts, by usually giving higher scores when they are asked ratings questions.

Weather Conditions and Traffic: These tend to affect turn out rate for focus groups and face-to-face interviews in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.